Excavating-bucket.



T. s. MILLER.

ExcAvAnNe BUCKET. y APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. 1912.

Patented ont. 23,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

S-iraaiiimmliu T. S. MILLER. EXCAVATINGBUCKET- APPL'lcATlou mio. nrc. s. 1912.

Patente Oat, 23,- 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET v2.

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rnA stetig Settim@ ft2-aaai?.

-througlr'ithe open end thereof, the bucket body being supported byabaih` or Vits equivalent, connected to .thel bucket to one side of its center. of gravity, 'andmeans being provided for supporting the bucket "in carrying'position so'that'it may be carried to a pointof discharge, and :for tilting it,

or permitting it to tiltor gravitate to. dump' theload.AV n l' The .invention consists in 4the improve,- ments to be more fullydescribedhereinafter and the novelty of which will-beparticularly ypointedout and distinctly claimed. f Ifhave fullywand' clearly illustrated my invention `in the 1 accompanying. drawings to ybe taken as a part fof/ this specification and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of 'a bucket constructed according to my invention in lo'adfcarrying position andV showing the rope leads ,forI operating the same. n. 'Eigf is a view in .-side'eleva'tion partly in section of the bucket shown in Fig.' 1 Fig.,3 is a view in front elevation of the bucket shown in Figs. l and 2.2 f

F ig. 4 isf an enlarged detail View in side elevation partly in section of meansffor locking the bail"to,lthe3bucket to maintain the latter horizontal when carrying the load tolthe point of discharge. x i

F'g. 5 Visfan enlarged view inrearielevation partly in section fof the bail' locking means of Fig. 4. Referring to the drawings lay-characters of reference, A designates a vbucket body consisting of vertical, parallel side-walls l, abottom 2, and a rear wall 3, the'forward end of the bucket being-left open, as shown, and the side wallslprojectingfas at fia-ghe# yond .and forward of the frontedger ofthe bottom, the said edge 5 serving as a cutting or digging :edge when .thebucket ispulled into, vor through Ethe material being ercaf f l vat-ed. The forward edge 5 may be provided with digging `ngers 6,215 shown in Fig. lof the drawings,f andthe bottom may be pros .vided with slices to4 give thebucket, the

Vproper tilt 4to ,cause the forward end thereof; to `.dig into the material. At the rear Aend Aofthebody A, the side walls of'tliebucket arevconllected and braced by a bridgepiece 8, andat their forwardends, said side walls are Connected by an arched bridge member 9 to bracefand'stiifen the saine, and to lserve as a support for parts to vbe presently def scribedr The forward Lipper. ends of the sidefwalls areprovidedwith apertures 1 0 in which aresecuredthe ends of the finembers ll of a split connection, the opposite ends of wh ich arejbrought ,together and connectechasat l2', withahauling or diggingline Pivotedtothe side wallsof the bucket onthe; outside thereof, .and in A the embodiment shown, yin rrear-of the cen- ,terofgravity thereof, as at lt,. are the side arms-leef supporting bail, the upper ends. of whiclnside Amembers converge tof ward each other-andl are connected bya cross `pin 16 consisting preferably of ay bolt, with a pivoted connection 17, to which is connected .one end of aQhoisting rope or linel8.A l Y. w

4The above briefly describes; awell-known form of drag bucket operatedby a drager hauling line, todrag `the open end ofthe bucketthroughf or into the -material to be excavated/in orderv toflill the bucket, `and then be lifted and transferred by a hoisting line to a point where the load is to be ldislCharged,l In orderjthat the loadffinay be properly.' carried to` the point ofl discharge, it is -essential 4that provision be made to maintain the bucketwith .its bottom in carryingfpositionduring the` transfer of the load so that the load will be retained inthe bucke'tand then for permitting theforward end 4of the bucketto be tilted or to gravi. tate, under its ownweight and `theweight of the. loadto dischargethe latter. The

imp roved'means I am about to c lescriberefv lates to a meansfor maintaining the bucket inA carrying position for the purposejust" set forth,. and consists lof latch orflockingA device for detachably locking thegbailto the, forward end of the bucket so that, when the bucketris carried to thepoint ofdis V charge, thebucket is locked tothe .fbail,`V

wherebythe bucket is maintained in car@ rying position, which locking means is..

will now proceed to describe the lockigrg means which ,constitutes an important part of my invention. lVIOunted uponthe arch member 9, connecting the sides of .the bucket, are a pair of vertically-disposed parallel plates or brackets 19 carrying at their upper rear ends, for the ends toward the bail, a part in the form preferably of a cross pin 20 bridging the space 'between said plates l01W-brackets. These plates 19 may be of any suitable .construction for accomplishing the purpose for which they are intended, l'but preferably con sist of castings having vertical members '21 and lateral lattaching flanges 22 connected and braced by suitable webs '23, which flanges 22are riveted or otherwise secured to the member 9.

Pivoted, on the outer lends preferably, of the cross pin 1G are the uppe-r ends of two plates 24, 24 constituting the body of la latch to coperate with the pin 2O to lock the bail to the forward end of the bucket. rlhese plates are maintained in spaced relation by suitable bolts 25 which may car-ry spacing sleeves 26 if desired.' The side plates of the members -Ql constituting the latch are formed at their ylower rear ends with a locking hook -27,fa fillerblock Q8 -being interposed between the plates to form a substantial and rigid hook bill., sa-id block being secured in place by rivets 29, 29; let through the side plates 24 and said block.

` The distance from `the pivot 16 of thelateh to the receiving hook thereof is such that, when the Ahook is locked Vover andv receives the pin 20, .the 'lifting of `the bucket by'ithe hoisting line 18 will maintain the-bucket Vin proper carrying position to sustain the `load therein. At their lower forward ends in advance of the bucket, the lplates 24 constituting `the latch member, are provided with curved faces 30 vwhichare of such-Shape and so located that, when the bail is thrown forward, as hereinafter described, preliminary to engaging the latch with the pin, Said faces 30 will strike the Apin 20 at a point not too near. the eXtreme outer edge of the faces 80 so that 4said faces will slide or ride `'upon the pin 4so that the latch `hook passes freely overthe pin. These 4faces'SO are so shaped ythat they `will slideupon the upper ysurface of the member 9 when they come into contactwit-h the same, and-the bill ofthe hook will -not overreaclr-the outer edge ofthe part 9gbefore thebail-,strikes :the pin 20. 'On' the under face above the receiver space of the '-hook27, Lthe latch member is provided with a stop 'member 3.1, which may be integral withthe filler Vblock 28,-sa-id member 31 Ahaving a rearwardlythefforward ends of.

projecting stop finger 32 to engage and co- Operate with .the bail.. .Said .member 31 also having a lower guide surface '33. The rear end of the linger 32 is so located as to engagethebail 15 when the latter is disengagedfrom the pin 20 so that .the surface 30 will strike the pin 20 at the proper point .toride .over said pin when the bail swings over toward the open end of the bucket. This stop 32 is so located thatthe- :latch will assume such a position that the recess of t'hehook will engage the pin l2O when the bail is raised from its= lowermost position when pull is exerted on the hoisting line 18 to lift the load. The -abutting' `surface .of the -stop32 is located high enough to insure the stop 82 clearing thepin 20 when the balifl is .raised from. itsV lowest .position by Apull on ithehoistingV rope 18.

The surface 33 is made on a gradual curve .upward and rearward, and is of such shape and .position as tol freely .ride lon the pin 20, and prevent .the surface 30 from .coming in contact with the fupper surface of the member 9., exceptata point. near the forward -end 4or edge of said surface'9. Thisis important because, were .the latch member permitted to strike down with. direct. impact upon ithemember 9, .there would lbe :the like- Ylihood of deranging `the parts ofthe latch, bending the pivot pin, land otherwise injuring the latch. By use of the surface 33 to coperate with the lpin 20, the surface 30 w-i-lfl always strike .the .member 9 adjacent the' forward .edgethereof with a glancing blow, so .that .the .parts are not injured by the impact. rlhe latch abovedescribed is shown in lockingengagement with .the .pin 20 in Figs. :1, 2, :3 and 4, which is the .relative position of the parts whenthe load ,is `being lifted and transferred.

l. .will now describe the .means employed for releasing :the latch to. permit .relative movement between .the bucket land the bail,

as Vwhen it isdesired :to lpermit .the bucket to drop .to discharge ,itsv load. This means consists preferably v.of a i releasing dog pivoted on the latchy to .coperate with the pin to lift the @hook out. of. engagement therewith. 'lhe releasing dog is shown yat 34 mounted on` apivot pin '35 Aextending through the plates .Qaiand bridging the space between the same,saididog 4being provided with van arm 36 which is connected .by a

stop as 31a. 'The dog is so arranged .asto

rest upon the abutment :.88 when ,the fbal is locked to pin 20 (see Figs. 2 and' 4). .The arrangement and construction is such that, when the hook isengaged' with the pin 20 to lock the bail to the bucket, the dog34' is located between the pin 2O and said stop 38 whereby a pull toward the open end of the bucket on the arm 36 will move the dog 34 on the-pin 20 to lift the latch out of en- Y cavated at such an angle that the bail will not automatically move toward the front of the bucket, it may be pulled forward by a linef`89 extending-to 'a point convenient to When the bail moves for`- an operator. ward the latch will rest with the stop 32 against the bail until the curved face 30 engages'the pin 20, -thereby causing the latch to lift up and dropdown toward the plate 9 as the bail moves forward. During this movement the engagement of the surface 33 with the pin 2O insures the glancing 'engagement of said surface `30-with the" part 9, asy

heretofore described, and the lower end of the latch passes between the members 19. Pull is then exerted on the drag line 13 to pull the bucket through or into the material to be excavated, so that the bucket is lled with said material, and, during the filling the line 39 is maintained taut so as to hold the bail and the latch in the position just described. When the bucket is filled, pull is exerted on the hoisting line to take up the load, which pull will first operate to lift the bail, the surface 30 riding on the part 9 until the surface 33 engages the pin 20 and further riding thereon until the hook 27 engages the pin 20 to couple the bucket to the bail. The load is then lifted and transferred to the point of discharge, the parts being in substantially the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. Upon reaching the point of discharge, the latch line 40 is pulled to throw the dog into positive engagement with the pin 20 to lift the latch hook out of engagement with the said pin and permit the forward or open end of the bucket to gravitate.

It will be understood that the latch is so constructed and proportioned and the preponderance of its weight so located that in the extreme angle assumed by the bucket in practical operations the latch will tend to gravitate at all times, so that it will assume such position as to insure the hook engaging the pin 2O when the bail is lifted. For

the purposes stated the forward end of the latch may carry a weight 46.

.'Bypivoting the latch on the pin 16, to which the hoisting line is also connected, I am enabled to distribute the load upon the latch and the bail so that the latter is not subjected `to strains tending to bend or' break it, and :by proportioning the lengths of the latch and bail substantially as illustrated the pull on the bail is at all times substantially lengthwise thereof.A

What Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An excavating bucket having an openl forward end, a forwardly swinging baill pivoted to the bucket, a latch memberpiv-y otedgto the bail and having a downwardly directed hook, a part on the forward end.` of the bucket 'adapted to be engaged by said hook', and means carried by the latch v'member and coperating with said part for dis# engaging the hook therefrom. f y

2. An excavating-bucket having an Vopen forward end, a bail pivoted to the bucket behind the center of gravity thereof, a pin at the upper end of the bail, a hoisting'line connectiony connected'to said pin, a latchmember pivotedon said pin, andadaptcd to engagea lpart'on the bucket, and means carried by the latchand adapted" toV co.

operate with the 'bucketto disengage the latch.`

3. An excavating bucket having an open forward end, a-bail pivoted tothebucket behind the center of gravity thereof, a latch member pivoted to the bail and having a downwardly-directed hook, a part on the bucket adapted to be engaged by said hook,

and a pivoted dog carried by the latch and adapted to engage said part adjacent the hook to liftlthe hook out of engagement with said part, a pull line for moving said dog into engagement with said part to disengage the hook therefrom, and a spring for returning the dog to normal position.

4l. An excavating bucket having an open forward end, a bail pivoted to the bucket, a latch member pivoted to the bail and having a downwardly-directed hook, a part on the bucket adapted to be engaged by said hook, a stop on the latch, a dog, a spring for moving the dog into engagement with the stop, said dog being arranged to rest on said part when the hook engages said part, and means for swinging said dog to exert its force on said part to disengage the hook from said part. I

5. An excavating bucket having an open forward end, a bridge piece, a bail pivoted to the bucket and carrying a latch hook, a

part on the bridge piece to be engaged vby Y adapted to engage a part on said;bridge piece, said latch hook having' a curved surface to coperate-With Said part to lift the hook over said part. When the bail is moved ltoward the open; end of, the bucket,. and

meansVcoperatingV with the bail, and said.

part to cause thechook to Strike the bridge niece a glancing` blow.

7. A11 excavating bucket having an open ,forward end a bride oiece `a bail ivoted to the bucket and carrying a latch hook, a part on the bucket adapted to be engaged by said hook, said latch hook having'` a curved surface in rear of the hook opening to coperate with said part to lift the hook over said part when the bail is movedto- Ward the open end of the bucket, anda cam Surface carried by the latch pieceto cause` said rSt-naincd Surface to strike the bridge piece a glancing' blow.

, 8. An excavating' bucket having a forward open end, a bridge piece at the forward end of the bucket, a bail pivoted-to the bucket,.

9. An exczwatingbucket having an open.

for\ vard end, a bail pivotedgto,,thebuckeu behind the centenof gravitythereof,arpi'nat the upper end of: theA bail, a hoisting-line. connectioneconnectedto the pin, and thereby supporting, the bucket; a .latch pivotedgati 1 one end on thesaid pin and havinpg. at its opposite end, a hookadapted to engage a,

part carried by the forward portionE of; the

bucket,l and means for releasing saidhook;

from Said part;

l0.. A11-excavating bucket having an onen forward end, c a, bail; plyoted to lathe. bucket behind the center. of gravity thereof, a hoist-v ing linelconnectionengaging; the'upper end'. ofthe ball,I avlatch pivoted at oneendv on4 the bail adjacent to said: hoistngline conf nection and having'v atits. opposite end a hook adapted to engage a partcarriedibyfthe forwardmorton of the bucket, means: on the latch for engaging said part and guidingy the hook as the bail swings:,1ne1ther-d1recV tion,- and means fory releasing saidvhook from said part. y y c Iny testnnony whereof I. have hereunto signed my nameinthepresence of tvvo sube.

Scribing' Witnesses.

THQMAS .SBENCER MILLER. lVitnesses: n

ALFRED, ENGLERT, ERNEST, PULSFORD..

Genies of Ithis patent may bef obtained for ve cents each, by addressingithe iommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

